


Slices of Stray Life

by Antievil



Series: Trips Cinematic Universe [2]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Found Family, M/M, Slice of Life, collection of oneshots, more random oneshots, self indulgient fluff for me n my friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2020-05-28 10:26:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19392214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antievil/pseuds/Antievil
Summary: Living in a bar is always an experience.Living in a dive bar was even more, and the number of things that could happen when a bar is run and lived in by approximately ten immortal soldiers of various attitudes, maturities, hobbies, interests, and humor never fails to have some bit of chaos around.That is a collection of stories that surround the Stray’s Stay Bar and Grill, chaos, affection, destruction, mishaps but mostly family and love. And booze. And Trips the dog. Importance in ascending order.





	1. Homework

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to self indulgent oc guardian fluff as dictated by my brain and my friends wishes. A ton of chaos, hijinks, gay stuff and a dog.

“Here we are buddy, our new home.” Blue camo metal entered the threshold, followed by a soft tap of three paws. “It’s a little dusty and needs some work, but I think this is what the crew needed.”   
  
The bar was dark, dusty and very worn down, much like how Tarow felt stuck in that apartment now- He shook those thoughts out of his head.   
  
“So buddy lets get started, where do you wanna set up your bed?” The exo looked around mix matched metal and wooden chairs, stools, and tables. Nothing quite fitting together but still making the place look homely and welcoming. Trips walked around, sniffing the floor and furniture, sneezing when a dust bunny flew up his nose. 

With a low chuckle, Tarow patted the dog’s head and moved further into the room, creating a mental checklist and battle plans. 

“We’re gonna need some serious help buddy, let's go get everyone.” 

_ One call montage later _

“Alright everyone, welcome to the future Stray’s Stay Bar and Grill.” Tarow climbs up onto the bar, “First off, no one ever gets to do this ever. Just so y’all know.” A few groans and awws bounced around the crowd of fifteen. “Secondly I got some plans for how this is going to work. Titans, I need you guys to organize the furniture, first by material and then by color, and you know what I trust Cecile to keep that in line.”   


Loud stomps and high fives wandered to one end of the floor.    


“Warlocks, lots of knowledge and attention to detail. Please focus on deep cleaning the stationary stuff, we need that shit cleaner than Vel’s vocabulary. I’m sorry you guys got this gig, reinforcements will come once the other assignments are done.” 

Softer footsteps, a bit of grumbling, and a bit of something that sent shivers down Tarow’s spine.   
  
“And finally you lot.” Tarow jumped off the bar, wiping his boot prints off the wood.   


“We lot got the weirdest job and after you’re done go help someone else out yeah? We are going to scour each individual room for left over junk and secret compartments.” The hunters as an overall group looked fairly confused. “Look for treasure and secret stuff, go get.”

Eventually, the much lighter footfalls, some silent like Riptide, went to various parts of the bar.

Scouring behind the bar Tarow found some old bottles, mostly whiskey but a few bottles of wine and even one bottle of vodka written in Russian, according to Illios. Looking around the main floor he could see what most of the crew was up to. 

Vlana had found a booth that had the best view of everyone, kicked her feet up and started to supervise by barking orders at everyone. He shook his head fondly and let her be. Cecile had the titans running efficiently, and from here he could hear her telling the group that they could not have a competition for most furniture carried at once. Trips was sleeping on a small lifted stage. Hunters ran back and forth, looking for loose floorboards, panels, secret cubbies, almost anything and everything that could be used to hide.

Ten minutes of scrubbing the bar later the hunters, minus Vlana pooled their loot. A few glimmer found here and there, some more alcohol (at least the ones they felt like coughing up) and two keys. One opened a lockbox they found in the basement with a couple thousand glimmer in it, but the other was a mystery so they handed it to the owner. 

With the hunters thrown into the mix and the titans finishing up their job the bar swiftly got put into shape. For a brief second, there was an ear shattering sound of a siren as Illios walked into the large but frankly disgusting kitchen. 

“I’m gonna go check on the big guy.” Elise put down the rag she was cleaning with and went into the kitchen. Loud beeping could be heard through the walls. A few minutes went by, everyone making a half assed attempt to be cleaning while really just waiting for Elise to relay news. 

The door opened and people started putting their elbows back into it making Tarow shake his head fondly. 

“So what’s the damage?”   


“Did you see that kitchen?” Elise shuddered and Tarow nodded sympathetically. “He’s not very happy with it, swore a lot. Then something about RAF standards and started going to town.” 

“I’ll send in some more folk if he needs it.” Cocking his head to the side the exo thought about it for another second. “Or maybe it’s better if he tackles it alo-” Another siren ripped through the building. “I think he found the walk in freezer.” 

Elise sighed and walked back into the kitchen. 

“What’re the rest of you staring at, get back to it so we can get pizza and drink.” Tarow yelled across the room. 

Despite earlier promises and estimates, it took the crew almost ten hours to get the place in clean enough shape, Illios and Elise not emerging until the very end, the large exo looking pleased with himself while Elise looked exhausted. 

Tarow stood back up on the bar, getting some groans as dirt and dust footprints settled on freshly polished wood. 

“See why I say none of y’all can do this now?” Tarow laughed at the tired group. “I wanna thank y’all for helping me and Trips clean up our new home. And I wanna emphasize that. This place is a home for every single one of y’all and anyone else in need. Call me, I’ll leave a key hidden somewhere outside, There’s a spare room that’s gonna have some bunks in it. If you need a place to crash, or do experiments, or just get away for a bit, this door is always gonna be open to you. So I wanna say to y’all, welcome home.” 


	2. Thunderstruck

Out in an abandoned part of the city two titans piled broken concrete and steel in a corner leaving them with a fairly flat concrete foundation, no walls, no debris and most importantly no bystanders to get hurt. 

“So does this help me with the whole striker thing at all? Do guardians really need to do strength training?” The young awoken, clad in shorts and a tank top looked to her mentor, a human woman, older than herself (which was not hard to find).  
  
“You don’t need to bench press just get taller.” Virtue wiped some of the dust off her own face, the purple warpaint no longer muted by white. “Nah we cleared off the place so we can do this.” Vel was not expecting the right hook that knocked her right in the jaw, flashes of white burst into her eyes.

“Just like Vice said huh, we gonna go apeshit?” Vel immediately got slapped in the back of the head, hard. “What I’m just repeating her!”  
  
“Watch your fuckin language kid.” Virtue stepped in front of the awoken and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Focus up and let's dance!” This time Vel blocked the punch. 

Titans sparring, even in plain clothes is something to behold. Calculated recklessness, a wall and a train at the same time. Being both an unstoppable force and an immovable object. 

At least thats how it was until Virtue’s arc covered fist knocked Vel into the pile of dust and debris they had made earlier. 

“That was cheap.” Vel groaned, shoving off some of the concrete. 

“Whatcha gonna do about it kid?” Virtue tapped her foot impatiently, arms crossed and arc energy still pulsing around her arms. 

With a primal roar, Vel shoved forward, a singular blur of lighting producing a clap of thunder. Breathing heavy Vel looked up, seeing the taller human shielding her body with electricity. 

“Keep uppin the stakes old lady?” Vel backed up and reloaded. 

“Only so I can kick your ass even harder brat.” 

Smiles and smirks flashed along with lightning as the two traded blows. Cement cracked, along with bones and claps of thunder. 

Sometime later, neither were quite sure how much time had passed, Vel collapsed on the floor, panting and limp. 

“Ok ok I’m done.” Vel could barely breathe, she was thoroughly gassed.

“Damn kid you out already? Virtue sat down next to the unmoving awoken. “So that feel different this time?”  
“I-I think so? Less eye of the storm more hurricane.” 

“You got the shoulder charge this time so I think you did. Keep this up and Luna-18 might have some competition.” Vel scrunched her face as her hair got ruffled out of its messy ponytail. “You’re doin good kid. Good progress for one day.” 

“Thanks for helpin out Virtue.” Her face softened and relaxed. “Means a lot that you’re willin to be my punching bag for a while. I do gotta ask you for a big favor though.”  
Virtue quirked an eyebrow and side eyed the younger titan. 

“Can you carry me home? I can’t feel my legs.”  
Virtue’s laugh was almost as loud as the thunder of their blows. Drowning out Vel’s concerned line of questions with no response. 


	3. School of Hard Lock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vel learns some things from Tanya.

“I’m not getting my ass kicked this time. Not again not again.” Vel whispered to herself. She shook her arms out, a bit sore from the weight lifting and other exercises Tanya had her do. Something about organic growth and strength without light would make her even stronger. 

“You ready to spar kid?” Despite being shorter than the awoken, Vel could see how relaxed Tanya was. 

“Always ready.” Vel put her fists up and kept on her toes dancing around the boxing ring. Tanya stood in the center in a much more casual stance. 

“You know kid you’re really predictable.” Tanya barely leaned out of the way of two jabs. “You’re not using your whole body effectively. Your legs,”  _ Wack _ . A solid kick knocked her off balance. “Your hips” Tanya lunged forward grabbing Vel and dragging her to the ground. “Like you’re a big girl you should use all the power your muscles can generate like this.” 

For Vel, this was a very weird and new experience she did not enjoy or understand. Tanya for her smaller stature had her arm pinned in a painful position, and no amount of wiggling or flexing could generate enough force to dislodge the human. With gritted teeth and a gutteral roar she finally got enough momentum and power to flip the wrestler off. 

“Better, better, but you gotta think kiddo. Use your brain it's the best muscle a gal can have.” _Jab jab, hook jab-_ A single uppercut cut Tanya in the chin, her curly hair bounced as she smiled and shook her head a bit. “Good, caught me off guard that's good. Keep mixing it up.”   
“Can. You. Shut. UP!” Vel kept throwing punches, anger building in the back of her heart. 

“Make me.” Tanya smirked before pulling Vel’s arm and kicking her feet from under her. “You’re a little far from that level without your light though. So for now you get to listen to my advice.” Tanya pressed her knee a little harder into the taller titan’s spine. “You are a strong guardian, you’re a great titan. Willing to take damage for your friends and get between them and whatever big scary threat is ahead of you. But you do need to use this a lil more.” 

It was more of the surprise factor than pain that whipped Vel’s head back as Tanya’s forehead connected with her nose. Ears ringing she could feel warmth moving down her face.

“Oh god oh god I am so..” Tanya scrambled off Vel and ran to her bag just outside the ring. “I didn’t mean to go for the nose.” She stepped through the ropes gracefully with a hand full of napkins. “Just tilt back a little, a little more, there good.”   
  
“You’re fine. Got the point across real good there.” Vel leaned against the corner of the ring, staring at the ceiling. “I gotta stop relying on pure instinct to carry me through things. Eventually I’m gonna make the wrong call or endanger someone just goin ham.” 

“Goin ham is good in some places and you shouldn’t ignore your instincts, your body might know things you don't.” Tanya moved next to the younger titan. “Trust yourself and your instincts but know when you gotta think and make plans.”  
  
“So trust my gut but also think about it? I’ll… try.” Vel sighed. “Thinkin deeply ain’t my strongest suit.” Her posture and gaze hardened. “But if it’ll help me keep everyone safe then its worth a good try.” 

“Trying is all we can do. And also not punch my wife into a gambit bank. That’d be good too.” Vel winced at the reminder. 

“Yeahhh I am really sorry about that. I didn’t think we’d collide-”   
“No need to apologize I’m 100% over it. Just,” Tanya pulled her head down so brown eyes met orange. “Do better.” 

“Yes ma’am.” Vel swallowed, the taste of iron making her face cringe. “I’ll just let this heal naturally as a reminder to… do better.” 

The wrestler wrapped an arm around her.   
  


“You got this ma, don’t worry about it too hard.” Vel forced herself to relax her shoulders, mind still going a million miles a second. She learned something that’d make her better at protecting everyone. She just had to get better at it. 


	4. Friends, Old and New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vel introduces her new friend Amisi to the rest of the crew, including the just returned from AWOL Luna-18.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day Vel won't be the main focus but today is not that day.

Vel, still in her workout hoodie and shorts, tattoos and scars on full display, walked around, eagerly talking to various patrons of the bar being followed by the smallest and scrappiest guardian any of the crew had ever seen. 

“So Amisi this is Jane and Tanya, they’re married and wrestlers. Tanya is also my work out mentor, they’re really cool and nice.” The two titans quickly fist bumped and smiled.   
  
“Good to see you made a new friend kid, I’m Tanya.” The shorter titan shook Amisi’s hand. “If Vel thinks you’re good I’m sure you’ll fit in around here.”   
  
“Hello Amisi, I am Jane.” As the warlock stuck her hand a few arcs of electricity jumping across the fingers causing blue eyes to widen and look at Vel. “That is quite frequent unfortunately, however it is never more than a slight shock.” 

“Yeah its enough to wake ya up but not gonna hurt, but you don’t have to if you don’t wanna.” 

“That’s fucking crazy. You just emit electricity.” Amisi stared at the hand and then gleefully shook it. “Not too bad, I thought it was gonna hurt a hell of a lot more.” 

“Wow she also balances out your vocab huh?” Tanya laughed and Vel just scratched the back of her head. 

“I can’t swear but I can live through her vocab.” Vel chuckled and looked around the bar. “I think there’s only a couple more peeps that you’ll see around but I guess they’re all out on missions.” 

“Its only been a fuckin day Vel. I’m sure there are reasons your family isn’t here. Dunno why this place is god damn awesome.” Amisi smiled as Tarow waved at the two. 

“Yeah I’m sure more people will swing by before tonight. Plus you stay up hella-” A towel got chucked from the bar smacking her in the face. “Late anyways so if Elise or Autumn run by at night we can introduce ya.” 

“Which one of those is the one you sai-” 

The door opened and when Vel’s eyes met white lights her entire body stiffened. Along with the atmosphere of the entire bar. 

Amisi looked confused between the defeated sag of the new exo’s shoulder and the rock solid body language of her new friend. 

“So umm. Who’s that bitch?” 

“That’s just Luna, she’s friends with Riptide.” Vel slapped the towel over her shoulder and firmly looked away from Luna-18.

Amisi stared at the awoken for a couple more moments, gears turning in her head. 

“You mean like… Luna-18, the Unbroken, reigning crucible champ who’s been missing for almost a month?” The human’s eyes widened. 

“Yeah. Her.” Vel glared at the table as Amisi ran off to talk to the other hunter. Jaw and fists clenched as tightly as she could. 

Amisi stared slightly star struck at the hunter she had seen on various public displays. Fast, cocky and highly skilled in the Crucible. A fan favorite for sure, and here she was, slightly different armor, a defeated posture, and more tension than a spectral blade could cut. 

“Tarow you pick up another kid?” Luna-18 called to the bar owner who just chuckled. 

“Are you Luna-18?” Blue eyes were nearly sparkling. 

“Yeah I am. And you are?” Luna turned around, and Amisi could feel the exhaustion. 

“Amisi.” 

“Amisi, who you with kid?” Luna-18 looked around the bar seeing who was here. 

“Vel! She’s been really cool and offered to let me crash here and other shit. Said I was part of the family now.” Amisi watched as Luna flinched in pain, a very small flinch but one nonetheless. 

“Oh yeah?” The exo looked at Vel, head down looking at the table, shoulders tense and on edge, and then looked back at the new hunter. Young, energetic, but that spark in her eyes that was smarter than she let on. “She’ll take great care of ya. Trust me. Now go hang out with her.” With a pat and a wink Luna-18 sent her back. 

In the few moments that Amisi spent walking from the bar back to the table she began to piece together a plan. 

“She’s pretty cool!” 

“Yeah I guess.” Vel was still visibly upset, and Luna seemed to settle down to mope at the bar. 

“Hey, you said you knew a gunsmith?” Vel nodded. “Can we go swing by and talk to her, sounds like my kinda gal.” 

“Yeah Gigi is great. Best friend I’ve ever had.” Neither of the two had to look to know that the exo at the bar probably felt that jab. 

“Then lets fuckin go! Gunsmithin is my shit.” 

The two younger guardians eagerly left the bar and made their way towards the Tower. 

“Gigi has literally been begging me for the last year to hand over my blast furnace, that gun is my baby.” Vel faux sniffled. “I can’t give up my child.” 

“Hey, not to be an ass, but what the fuck is up with you and Luna?” Vel looked at the smaller woman, and saw the shift from fun to serious. “And none of that excuse bull shit. Just fuckin tell me why everyone was waiting for you guys to go to fucking blows.” 

Vel sighed and walked them over to a bench. 

“So you heard that Luna-18 dipped for like a month right. Just vanished without a trace.” Amisi nodded. “The public thought we’d know where she went. Journalists kept swinging by, trying to get us to say where she was. Was she training? Was she retiring? Was she running away with a girl?” 

Vel took a deep breath and put her elbows on her legs so she could lean forward. 

“We told them that was confidential, over and over and over again. But the truth was we didn’t know where she was. She just took this old long haul junker and left. Said nothin, left nothin, no notes, no messages, no calls, no caches, nothing. We just got left on a random day with no notice.” Her head fell in her hands. “She just left everyone for no reason. I helped her fix that ship, I talked to her all the time. She taught me how to do better, how to work with my team so we can watch each other’s backs. She just left everyone. She left me.”   
Amisi rubbed Vel’s back as it started shaking. 

“And then she comes back, and she hasn’t. She hasn’t said anything. Everyone else talked to her already, Tarow had her stay at the bar for a while too, till she got herself together. Riptide talked to her cause they go way back. But I’m not worth a talk I guess.” 

“Have you told her this yet?” Amisi’s voice was firm and the hand left her back.   
  
“What?”   
  
“Have you told her how you feel?” 

“No ca-”   
  
“No bullshit excuses. Have you talked to her yet? Privately?”   
  
“No.” 

“You think this shit only effects you and her? Every time you two are in the same room everyone is emotionally preparing for you two to shoot each other, I haven't been here more than two days and I noticed. So sort your shit out like adults before you start a fight like children.” 

“What like I’m supposed to go up to her and apologize for this? She’s the one who left she needs t-” 

“This isn’t about what she fucking needs, this is about your fucking family. This shit is tearing everyone up so you need to go deal with the damn thing.” Vel shrunk at that. 

“She won’t even talk to me.” 

“I can fix that.” Purple eyebrows quirked. “Fuckin trust okay. Let’s head back so you can short this shit out.” 

The bar was even emptier now, Jane and Tanya probably dipping at the first relief of tension. Tarow and the dog sitting behind the bar while Luna-18 stared at a datapad. 

Amisi shoved Vel into the lab basement and locked the door, because “You won’t break down the door cause it’ll fuckin piss off Tarman.” 

“Hey Luna-18, can I ask you a question somewhere more private?” Both exo’s looked at her in confusion. 

“Sure, we can go into the gues-”

“No no, I left Vel in there but I need to ask you something. I was tola about a lab or something, lets talk in there.” The other hunter nodded and followed. Completely unprepared to be shoved down a few more feet into the basement before the door was closed and locked behind her. 

For a solid minute Luna-18 and Vel stared at each other not saying anything as their bodies locked up. 

“You fucks don’t get out until you fix this shit.” Amisi yelled from the other side of the door. 

“She wasn’t kidding.” Vel rubbed her arm. “So umm.. How’ve you been?” 

“I’ve been better.” A moment passes and they just keep looking at each other. 

“You bitches, fucking talk about your feelings. Talk about why you fucking left. Were you just done? Are you a coward?”   
  
“I LEFT TO PROTECT THEM YOU LITTLE SHIT.” Luna yelled through the door and then deflated. “I left to protect you all. I can’t let you guys pay for my past.” 

“When you left I thought I did something wrong. I thought I did something that pissed you off for the last time.” Tears slipped down Vel’s face. You know you were like the first one to really treat me like a guardian. The first one to not really write me off as just the idiot kid. I love Tarow and the whole group but you were the first one to make me feel like an equal. “ Vel had to look away. “And on top of that all you ever hear about fireteams is staying together and fighting as one and all these things that bring our family closer together and make everyone stronger by workin off each other. And you taught me that too. Team shotting stuff, workin together, making plans and coverin eachothers backs. All that good stuff about crucible that really translates into what we need to do out here, stick together, help out and take out problems as a group.” The titan’s body language stiffened. 

“And then. And then you just fuckin left! Yeah everyone was still there but they all looked at me different. They all looked at me like I was broken but they couldn't fix it. If anyone else had done what you did, you wouldn't have looked at me like that, but you weren't there. It was so frustrating and it only made me angrier when the press started askin.” Clenched fists slammed onto a crate, cracking the wood. 

“All I knew is the person I thought was my friend fucking left without a trace for no given reason. All I could think about is what I did wrong. Why I didn't notice something? Why I was left with no reason or explanation? Did I do somethin to piss her off? What did I do to drive her away?"

Luna-18 just stared at Vel. The young titan who looked so hurt and betrayed and in pain from her own actions. 

“Vel, you didn’t do anything... I know that, me saying that probably means jack shit to you, and... I mean, that’s fair, but... you didn’t do anything. That’s the important part, that... you’ve been nothing but good since I met you, and... you, everyone else here... it didn’t seem fair that, for all the bad I’d done, all of us were gonna go down. If I’d stayed here, in my head it seemed like... they’d have found... I mean, how many of us just in this room are dredgens? How many of us are packing the heat to kill another Guardian? What about Autumn? What about Privalis? Elise? Riptide? What about... you get what I mean, right? I couldn’t... I couldn’t let that happen. So, yeah, I ran. I ran so that the bad things I’ve done wouldn’t hurt any of you...Guess it didn’t make a difference, in the end...” 

“And you never thought we were willing, ready to go down together? To have each others backs?” Vel’s temper flared up again. “I became a dredgen to find power to protect my family, _our_ family. I am not letting anything take them away. I can’t stop them from leaving like you did. But I will lay down my life to stop someone from taking you or Riptide or Pirvalis or Autumn away. You guys may not want me to, but I will. You can run and hide and fucking cower away in some dark sector of space but I refuse to. I refuse to betray and abandon my family like that.” 

“I was wrong. Leaving doesn’t solve anything. It just causes pain and that is all I wanted to do... I wanted you all to be safe. I just felt so… boxed in. There were no good outs. So I made one. And I know you hate me for it-” 

“I could never hate you Luna.” 

“And I fully understand why you do my actions were paranoid and cowardly. Wait you don’t?” 

“You’re family you idiot. I’m mad, I’m hurt but I could never hate you. I just. You just… you left us all behind without a care.” 

“I did nothing but care, which is why I left. I didn’t want to get everyone sucked in on my bullshit.” 

“I.. I get that now.”

“I’m not leaving again.” 

“I want to believe that.” 

“I promise.” Vel engulfed the hunter in a hug. 

“Please.” Sobs wracked both of them, a growing stain of snot and tears on the hunter’s cloak and the titan’s hoodie. 

“God this is going to be a fucking pain to take out.” 

“How do you think I feel? Do exo’s cry oil or something?” The two laughed softly, emotional and mental exhaustion setting in. 

“You fucks done now?” Amisi chimed through the door. 

“Yeah yeah Mini.” Vel started counting down from 4 on her hand, and just as the fourth finger curled in there was the sound of a golden gun being called. 

“You wanna say that shit to my face ya cunt?” Vel ran through the open door, diving to the ground and scrambling away from the short angry hunter. By the time Luna-18 got up the stairs, Vel had a smug looking Amisi sitting upon a her slightly singed hoodie. 

Very softly to herself Luna whispered one last promise. “I’ll be here.” 


	5. Doubts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virtue brings a new fling but an old face to the bar.

Vel and Tanya laughed as they walked into the bar, covered in sweat and satisfied grins.

“We gotta work on your powerbombs but it's comin along well kid.” Tanya tiptoed to pat the awoken’s shoulder. “Soon you’ll be ready to go for real.”  
  
“Yes!” Vel pumped her fist as they sat down at the bar, Tarow fondly shaking his head and putting some cold glasses of water in front of them.  
“Yo Tar I learned how to pile drive properly today!” Vel smacked her elbow before downing the liquid. 

“Not the only one gettin to smash.” Tarow mumbled before turning away. Tanya almost did a spit take but Vel was too dense to hear it. 

“Um excuse?” The short woman pulled Tarow’s cape. “Explain?” 

“Virtue at seven o clock. Was chattin her up last night and now they’re eatin here.” 

Tanya turned to look, and was almost floored by the sheer unexpectedness of the scene. 

Virtue, for all her hard muscle and large stature, had a much softer body language now than anyone was used to seeing. Shoulders relaxed, soft smile, a look one could almost say was love struck, but Tanya knew the woman too well to say that. 

Across the table was another human woman, dark skin, black hair pulled neatly into a ponytail, she was familia-

“DOC?!?!?!?” Vel nearly choked on her water, and the outburst gained the attention of the two women. 

“Vel?” The doctor cleared her throat and centered herself. “How are you doing? Your scar giving you any trouble?” 

“None at all Doc, and I even got it covered up by this cool paw print tat I got-” Vel started to pull up her work tank. 

“That is unnecessary. Virtue you didn’t tell me about your…”  
  
“Kid friend? I didn’t realize you were the same doc that kept her together and grounded her during the war.” Virtue smiled wide and batted her eyes. “But it should’ve been obvious that there’s only one doc talented enough to do that.” 

Tanya coughed, ending Virtue’s moment. 

“Hey Dr. Niraj, been a while.” Tanya stuck her hand out for a quick handshake. 

“Tanya how many times do I have to tell you, call me Theva.” 

“So whatcha doin in this dive doc? I thought you’d hang out in more ummm… nice places.” Vel sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. 

“Virtue,” Tanya’s eye twitched as Theva placed her hand on Virtue’s arm. “Wanted to take me out to lunch.” 

“Oh god no please I don’t need more people pairin up to keep tabs on me.” Vel groaned and mumbled a soft ‘fuck’ which gathered a few ‘light’ smacks by guardian standards. Tanya kept side eyeing Virtue, eventually meeting the taller titan’s eyes. 

Virtue leaned down to whisper in Theva’s ear with a soft smile and glance before walking to the back room. 

“Virtue what are you doing?” Tanya’s voice was firm but not cold. 

“Having a good time. Took her out to eat, ate her out-” 

“Spare me the details, look I know how you are.” Virtue only shrugged.  
  
“And I don’t need you throwing her aside like all the other women.”  
  
“Don’t worry Tanya I’m sure it’ll be fine. She’s a grown woman-” 

“She’s a great woman who deserves to be treated well.”  
  
“And she has been don’t worry.” Virtue sat back on some boxes. “I’ve been a perfect gentlewoman.” 

“Yeah but Dr.Niraj, she’s good, great even. She deserves the world cause all she does is give back to it.” Tanya poked Virtue’s chest. “So don’t you dare fucking hurt her.” 

Virtue put her hands up in surrender. 

“I’m not gonna hurt her, just gonna have a good time and see what happens ya know. Nothin diabolical, nothin hurtful. Just two adults spending time together.” 

Brown eyes met blue in a staredown. Tanya trying to look through to her soul and see the truth. 

Eventually, the wrestler sighed. “Jane is so much better at this than I am.” Tanya walked to the door. “She means a lot to me and the kid, so be kind okay.” 

“I know that now, and I promise I won’t hurt her.” Virtue put a hand over her heart. “Have some faith, Theva is a great woman, an awesome mom and an unparalleled doctor.” 

“I have faith in her, I don’t have faith in your track record with women. She’s not just someone you’ll be able to dump outta your life.” Tanya walked out into the bar again, smile on her face as she talked to the doctor and the youngest titan. 

“Yeah I got that feelin alright.” Virtue sighed and stared at the ceiling, gathering her thoughts together. She put back on the dopey smile and relaxed her shoulders before walking back to her spot next to Theva. One hand softly at the woman’s back, the other gestured as she talked. 

“But yeah doc, Virtue’s pretty great, taught me how to make even bigger lightning strikes.” Vel smiled. “Had to knock it into me but it’s made me better.” 

“It's a wonder how you still have a functioning brain considering everything you do leads to a concussion Vel.” 

“Bold of you to assume she has a functioning brain.” Virtue ruffled the kid’s hair. “Vel sells herself pretty short though. She’s a quick learner and great at the practical stuff.” 

“Only cause you taught me! And Tanya, and Illios, and this is a long list…” Vel trailed off thinking of many names. 

“Oh you do practical work?” Theva’s hand stroked a bicep. 

“It's my best kinda work.” Virtue winked, which made Tanya groan. 

“Let's go kid, you said you’d buy lunch if I took you to the gym.” 

“Bye doc! Later Virtue! Have fun!” 

“We will.” Virtue smiled as she pulled the doctor closer to her side. 


	6. Yikes, Yoga

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure crack hilarity and more bullying Vel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the least serious thing I have ever written, its 100% bullshit written between 12am and 4am. 
> 
> Have a laugh.

Back in the day Vel owed Tanya some favors. In the time following the Red War, Tanya had never cashed in on them, and they remained forgotten in Vel’s mind, or lack thereof according to her friends. 

One morning Vel was in the bar, eating some delicious food Illios had made for the crew following a late night of gambit, when Tanya came in with a few shopping bags. 

“Mornin T, whatcha got?” Vel asked a mouth full of food which earned her a poke from Tarow. 

“I got something you’ve owed me for a while kid.” Tanya smiled. “And some spares in case the rest of y’all wanna tag along.” Vel gulped her food audibly as Tanya pulled out the contents of the bag. “I found a yoga class in the more residential section of the City, and you’re going with me.” 

Vel’s face paled as black yoga pants and a purple tank top were pushed towards her. 

“I can’t wear my work out gear?” 

“Nope. It’s too baggy for yoga, this will let you focus on your muscles instead of your clothes.” 

“Like I’m not gonna be thinkin about it.” Vel mumbled as Vlana laughed at her, Illios and Elise looked more curious. 

“I got outfits for you guys too since Tarow told me you guys were here.”

“Oh I don’t need an outfit but there’s no fuckin way I’m passing this up.” Vlana snickered. Illios smiled and beeped happily taking his bag and heading into the bathroom. Elise shrugging her shoulders and taking her kit too. 

“Now come on kid, it won’t be that bad.” Tanya ruffled her hair, Vel felt almost as hopeless as she was when she was bed ridden. 

Twenty minutes into yoga, Vel wished she was bedridden after being impaled by construction equipment. 

“Now breathe deeply, turn your torso and step into the warrior pose.” Firstly, this human woman had the most annoying voice Vel had ever heard. It was like those stereotypical annoying rich women's voices. 

Looking at the rest of her friends, and Vlana who was still snickering in the back on a chair, Vel felt very out of place. Elise and Tanya looked calm as they easily moved into the next pose. Illios looked like he (and many of the civilians) were having the time of his life as the tight clothing showed off how big and beefy the Exo really was. Even with her usually terrible perception and density of anything relating to attraction and romance, she could see almost half of the class ogling the large exo in uncomfortably form fitting clothing, not that Illios seemed to mind. 

Vel leaned forward to follow instructions, her balance wobbly and her limbs unyielding and stiff. Vel was built like a cannon, she was meant to charge straight at the enemy and deck them in the face. Not like the freaking cat Elise was Vel thought as the hunter easily shifted her weight with no second thought. 

The instructor pulled a leg up, pressing the foot next to a knee, and Vel moved to mirror it. One by one her friends, minus the giggling Vlana, successfully mimicked the pose. 

Vel bent her leg awkwardly and tried to find her balance on one foot. It couldn’t be that difficult, she was a trained close quarters combat fighter. Taking a deep breath she centered herself and copied the pose. 

“Breathe in through the nose and hold your breath fo-” 

**CRASH**

Slowly the room turned as Vlana fell out of her chair laughing. Vel lied on the floor and released the breath she had been holding. Her body relaxed as her eyes remained closed. 

“Ummm… you okay kid?” Tanya stepped over to the fallen titan. 

“Yeah I’m good, super good, super relaxed right now.” Vel could hear Illios’s heavy footsteps as he kneeled next to her, soft beeps were near her ear. “Nah you don’t have to carry me bud. I’m great. One hundo percento fine.” Vel looked around, saw Illios looking like a concerned dad, about ten people behind him probably looking at his behind, Tanya looking guilty, Elise looking embarrassed (at her or Illios it’s a toss up) and Vlana literally rolling on the floor. 

Vel just sighed deeply and closed her eyes again. 

“Hey teach can yoga teach me how to die?” That’s all the titan wanted at this point. To get out of this room and this moment and frankly this life. She could feel Illios picking her up by the back of her tank top like a grumpy kitten and set her on her feet. 

Tanya went to talk to the instructor, while Elise tried to get Vlana to take a single breath as Dio looked worriedly at the guardian almost literally dying of laughter. Once on her feet Vel rolled up the mat and began to stride out, taking a moment to swiftly kick Vlana in the butt (not at full strength but enough to make her displeasure known). 

Vel stood outside and sighed deeply. 

“You zen now kid?” Vlana snickered her smile hidden by that ragged patchy cloak. 

“I am so much calmer now you have no idea.” Vel turned to the brick wall behind her and lightly smacked her forehead against it. 

“Aww poor baby has shitty balance.” 

“I’m perfectly fine when I’m fighting but yoga? Yoga is weird.” Vel sighed. 

“That's fine if it’s not your thing.” Tanya said as she walked out with Elise and Illios. “I just wanted you to come with cause you needed to relax a bit.” 

“I am relaxed because nothing could possibly be more embarrassing than today.” 

Elise winced.

“Now you’re just inviting bad luck.” Vel shrugged at the dark haired awoken. 

“It can try me I don’t give a fuc-” A hammer singed her tank top as a fiery hammer knocked the wind out of her, police sirens echoing down the street. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Illios-9 is a striker titan belonging to my good friend Eric, 100% dad shaped, 100% not fucking. 
> 
> Elise is Illios' stray cat daughter who also belongs to Eric. Sassy, disaster lesbien. 
> 
> Vlana belongs to Tori, if you want to see her in her actuality go hop over to FlawedVictori and read some of her works, they're great.


	7. Tending and Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kato takes his morning to tend to things and think about others.

Kato enjoyed the fact that his family spent more time in other places than at their apartment. It meant he got his own real space for the first time in his guardian life. No Vel stomping about at all hours of the day or night trying to deal with her endless energy and need to do something, no Tarow and Trips lounging about. Just Kato with space and peace, two things he rarely enjoyed. 

In fact with Tarow moving into the bar full time, and Vel going off on her own adventures with the crew, Kato basically had a three bedroom apartment to himself. So he redecorated a little bit. 

He added shelves to fill with colorful plants and flowers, his own little reminders of the various strays his father (cause quite honestly that’s how he saw Tarow) had found and added to their chaotic family. 

The oldest plant was a pot of straw flowers for his Dad. Small but plentiful, a perfect symbol of unity. They often grew too fast so Kato had begun to give them to people. Other researchers, storekeepers, his friends. Just like his Dad, these flowers brought him closer to those around him. 

Next up was the purple orchid that reminded him of Vel. Much like Vel it was very picky about sunlight, and it only seemed to thrive when he was as hands off as he could bring himself to be. However, it was strong, vibrant and drew your eye from across the room. 

One of his research buddies had given him dog flower seeds after meeting Trips, a cute gesture that he followed through with, Trips was part of the family after all. 

After that it was a lot of picking up plants randomly after hearing florists tell him their meanings. 

Although he wasn’t on the front lines anymore, he wasn’t there to give healing or empowering or over shields, he did feel like growing these plants and doing his research was helping them. 

Compassion, strength, ambition, success, happiness, courage, hope. There was so much that he saw of his family in these plants, and although the science proved the guardians and the plants were different living beings with no ties to each other, Kato still felt like growing them, giving his love and support through these green things were helping them find those things. It was silly and superstitious but it made him feel like he was contributing something in the here and now. 

Not that his work was unimportant or useless, it was just way harder than he expected. Untaking something was like… nuclear fission before the Golden Age. And while he worked on the insane amount of physics needed to figure out how Taking worked and then how to undo it.

Most of the family was out and about across the galaxy doing something dangerous, or stupid, or a combination of the both (especially if Vel was involved). So the least he could do was take care of some plants and believe they helped bring positive forces to his friends. I mean it made more sense than the Light did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got around to writing more Kato, and only focus on Kato. He's a good lad y'all. 
> 
> Sorry it's so short, but I wrote this after driving for 6 hours so the fact that I got anythin out today (much less 2 chapters lol) is a miracle.


	8. Log Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tarow finally gets a moment to breathe and update his personal logs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I drove.... 12 hours in the last 24 and wrote this while half passed out on an extended aunt's recliner. This is sappy and soft and just a Dad being grateful.

Tarow-5 was a man of habit and routine. Made em feel grounded and present in the moment when he doesn’t have to focus on every detail in front of him like when he restocks the bar and can instead focus on the more important things in life. 

“Log day.. 1381, I think? Archive double check that for me later will ya dear? I’ve fallen off the boat of these things for a few days, and I know past me hated missin out and honestly the present one ain’t too happy bout it either.” There was a loud thunk as he set down a keg. 

“Lots been happenin in a short amounta time. I think that Key girl might have finally gotten through to Vel, so who knows maybe the damn kid will actually figure somethin out. Not super confident in bettin on those odds though.” The exo smiled softly. “Vel’s a good kid, I’m proud to say that I helped with that but the idiot has got a heart of gold which makes things easier. Do wish I could say that about her brain too though. This idiot can thread a thundercrash through two threshers nd a doorway to save my ass, but can’t fuckin tell what a wink is. I’m blind and I know what the damn things are. No excuses for her!” Tarow simply laughed. “All said and done I do care a lot for the girl. At times I feel like her father and I know she sees me that way too at times, but if it happens it’ll happen, and then I’ll be the proudest damn dad this city has ever scene.” 

Tarow had to take a moment and just sit back at the thought. 

“Mean I cried when Kato called me dad for the first time. Not that he’s any less dense then Vel, he just has a habit of not runnin away from feelings and change. Which is good ya know, the boy is a problem solver and a fixer. Didn’t pick that up from me at all if these logs are somethin to go by. And Light be damned I’ve very happy bout that. The last thing I would want these kids to pick up from me is the immediate reaction to run from issues that scare em. Kato I guess has enough bravery and determination to face his problems, me n Vel sadly keep tryin to put space and time between us and the problem but it always comes back to bite ya in the ass kid. Runnin solves nothin and it won’t even let ya feel better.”  His face fell a little. “Trust me boy, there ain’t nothin runnin can really save you from. Ghosts don’t sleep but you will, and I don’t mean Archive, wait hey Archive do you sleep? Do all ghosts sleep?” 

Tarow hums for a moment. 

“I’mma be honest, if you’re readin this to figure out what happened before the end, I’m sorry bud. Things are really good now. Everyone seems to be findin their place around, and lemme tell ya, these are some of the most ridiculous crew to have under one roof, god I hope the Stray’s still up, know you better be fuckin pissed if this place ain’t standin by the time you read it. Put a lotta heart and soul into this bar. Worked my ass off to make sure everyone knew they had a place to go and relax and get help and hang out. Trips, he’s the best son a man could hope to have, don’t tell Kato, really makes it easy for people to come in, settle down and let it all go. Honestly I don’t charge enough for how much everyone is eatin and drinkin. Thankfully all these folk make plenty of money from strikes and jobs and, you know what I don’t wanna know how they get it, but everyone tries to chip in at least a lil bit of cash, which keeps the place outta the red. Guess bein a stay at home dad don’t pay too well, who’da thought.” 

“It’s nowhere near bad though. And I really am happy and proud to be makin such a difference for all these people. Makin this group a real family fills that void in my chest that has always been there. From resurrection through resets, it’s only been cause of these idiots that it hurts a lil less. Sometimes I feel like all I’ve been missin is a family and they really do provide that. 

Still weird that there’s a big chunk that feels like it won’t ever be filled but now it feels bearable. 

Archy you should’ve shut me up forever ago now I’m just a sappy mess. If I could physically cry I think I would be, cut the damn recording before I lose my rep.” 


	9. Opportunity Knocks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tarow-5 tries to get some R&R in this season.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I havent updated any of my fics in like a year. I finally got a job and that basically took the brain out of me. I'll get around to writing some gay fluff eventually, for now take a dad.

Everything was so quiet with everyone gone, Tarow could afford to leave Aoifie by herself and just take the day to relax in the loft above the bar. However this presented a new challenge for Tarow, solicitors. 

It felt like just as he’d lie down with a good audio book, or work on bar projects, or his current mini project, adding a small distillery downstairs between all of Autumn’s, and by proxy the rest of the researchers, lab equipment. 

Leaning back in his desk chair he twirled a pencil, despite not being able to see his notes, the process of writing helped him understand everything better. 

“Chapter 4: Safety and set up. Now that we have discussed the history behind brewing and the various manner of methods and drinks you can produce in your home, it is time to decide how to tailor your equipment and built to you-”   
  
**Knock, knock, knock.**

This by far was the most annoying part of being in the house during the day. All sorts of people knocking on his door and asking for things in a polite but aggravating way. Faction members (as if he’d ever give money or support to New Monarchy), charity workers, salespeople, religious people, there was no end to it really. Groaning Tarow opened the front door. 

“Hi sir, are you registered to vote?” 

“Yes I am an active vanguard member.” The hunter wiped his face. “I don’t want to sign your petition nor do I have to update my address. If you need signatures, down the block make a left, there’s an old lady named Sandra, she’ll talk your ear off but she’ll sign whatever and give you a lemon bar.” 

Before the guy could say anything Tarow slammed the door and put his headphones back on. 

“Your needs. Firstly decide how much you want to brew. Do you want one large batch? Or multiple small ones? Make sure you desire only as much as your space allo-”   
  
  
**Knock knock knock.**

Really? Tarow frowned. He had just sent the last one off and already someone was bothering him?

Angrily he stood out of the chair and rolled forward feeling the light around him bend and warp, making him invisible. 

Throwing open the door to an empty room Tarow almost growled. 

“Who’s bothering to interrupt me no-” His question was cut off as a trope of young girls started crying. “Oh no oh no.” Quickly the hunter whistled, the calvary quickly hobbling over. 

“We’re, we’re sorry mister.” One of them said through her sniffling. “We just, we wanted to see if you wanted to buy cookies.” 

Whatever robotic piece replaced his heart dropped down to the faux stomach as an almost immeasurable amount of guilt set in. 

“You’re very scary mister. We’ll leave you alone now, pack up the cookies guys.” 

“No no no, I would love to buy your cookies, I am so sorry for scaring you kids I thought you were an annoying adult.”

  
  


“How many boxes-” Tarow could practically feel the redhead’s gaze on him. 

“You don’t want to know.” Tarow, after many hours, was still unloading boxes of cookies in the bar’s basement. 

“I thought you were going to put a distiller here? Make your own brews?” 

“Well, opportunity knocked and interrupted that plan.” 

“And you’re entire fuckin wallet I guess.” Aofie laughed as she squatted and started to pet Trips. “You gave him a limit so we didn’t ruin this month's budget right?” 

Trips woofed a little and leaned into the ear scratches appreciatively. 

“Guess we’re all good bossman. Go relax and get some rest, and don’t buy anything people try to sell you.” 

The bartender laughed as she heard the sound of Tarow’s metal forehead slam into the brick wall out of frustration. 


End file.
